Adhesive bandage

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns an adhesive bandage ( 10 ) comprising a support ( 11 ) with an adhesive surface ( 12 ), a sterile pad ( 13 ) arranged on the adhesive surface and a protective film covering the adhesive surface and the sterile pad, which is formed by a first ( 14 ) and a second ( 15 ) tearaway tab. The first tab ( 14 ) is folded back on itself along a folding line ( 16 ), outside the sterile pad zone, to define a first flap ( 17 ) applied on the adhesive surface from a first end of the support up to the folding line and covering entirely the sterile pad, and a second flap ( 18 ) forming a tearing lead for the first flap and extending over the first flap beyond the support first end. The second tab ( 15 ) comprises a third flap ( 19 ) applied on the adhesive surface from the second end of the support up to the folding line, and a fourth flap ( 20 ) forming a tearing lead for the third flap which extends over the first tab from the folding line beyond the support first end.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns an adhesive bandage, in particular, forapplication on an acutely affected area of the epidermis which is verysensitive to contamination by bacterial germs and must remain sterileand, notably, an area containing a site for the implanting of anarteriovenous fistula forming a vascular access to a patient onhemodialysis, the said adhesive bandage comprising a support having anadhesive side, a sterile pad positioned on the said adhesive side of thesupport and a protective film covering the adhesive side and the sterilepad, the said protective film being made up of a first and seconddetachable tab, the said first detachable tab being folded back onitself along a folding line, outside the sterile pad area, andcomprising a first flap applied on the adhesive side of the support andwhich extends at least from a first extremity of the said supporttowards its interior until the said folding line so as to cover entirelythe sterile pad, and a second flap consisting of a beginning which tearsoff from the said first flap and which extends over the said first flapfrom the said folding line in the direction of the said first extremityof the support, the said second detachable tab comprising a third flapapplied on the adhesive side of the support and which extends, outsideof the sterile pad area, at the least from a second extremity of thesaid support, opposite the said first extremity, towards the interior ofthe said support until the said folding line of the first detachabletab.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

An adhesive bandage of the type described above is presented by theAmerican patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,397,297. Its second detachable tab,shorter than the first, also folds back on itself in the shape of a V.It consists of a fourth flap, which tears off and which extends over thethird flap from the folding line beyond the second extremity of thesupport.

The sole aim of this patent is to present a particular packaging for aband age in an individual wrapping which facilitates the application ofthe bandage, without giving any guarantee for the sterility of thisapplication. The two tearing flaps of the two tabs are sealed insideopposite extremities of the wrapping, forming two traction areas. Thiswrapping comprises, as well, on a longitudinal edge, a notch that isaligned with the folding line of the two tabs, as well as an area ofprehension, facing the second tab and the bandage support.

To apply the bandage, the user must hold the wrapping in its prehensionarea then pull on the first traction area, connected to the tear-offflap of the first tab. The wrapping tears in two sections along thefolding line of the tabs. The first tab, which entirely covers the pad,is pulled back first from the adhesive side of the support. The secondtab stays in place on the support. From then on, there is a very highrisk that the surrounding air or the user's fingers will contaminate,with bacterial germs, the pad and the large section of the support'sadhesive side, which are uncovered. When this contaminated section isapplied to the affected area of the skin, the germs it contains cancause serious infections.

Another adhesive bandage of a similar type is described in the Englishpatent application published under the number GB-A-2 224 445. Thisbandage comprises a support provided with an adhesive surface which isprotected by two detachable tabs. The first tab is folded back on itselfin a V. It defines a first flap, applied on a small section of theadhesive surface towards the interior of the support from a firstextremity, and a second flap which tears off from the first tabextending towards the exterior of the support beyond its firstextremity. The second tab is more or less flat. It defines a third flap,applied on a large section of the adhesive surface towards the interiorof the support from its second extremity, and a fourth flap, tearingfrom the second tab, which covers the first tab and extends beyond thefirst extremity of the support.

This adhesive bandage does not comprise a sterile pad on the adhesivesurface for application on the affected area of the epidermis. The soleobject of this patent application is to propose an adhesive bandagewhich is easy to apply, without offering any guarantee for the sterilityof this application. Moreover, the second tab, whose third flap coversthe large section of the support's adhesive surface, must be pulled backfirst. Therefore, there is a very high risk of serious contamination, bythe surrounding air and by the user's fingers, of a large section of theadhesive surface before its application to the affected area of theskin, which would, itself, become seriously infected.

It is known other adhesive bandages similar to those previouslydescribed, notably in the international patent application publishedunder the number WO 97 28771 and the European patent applicationpublished under the number EP-A-0 308 122. These bandages have variousdisadvantages and, in particular, do not guarantee systematic sterileapplication and present high risks of contamination to the affected areaof the epidermis.

Consequently, the previous adhesive bandages are unsuitable forapplication on an acutely affected area of the epidermis which is verysensitive to contamination by bacterial germs and must remain sterileand for which a risk, even minimal, of contamination is not admissible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention proposes to overcome this major disadvantage byproviding an adhesive bandage which can be packaged under sterileconditions before use and which is provided with a protective filmallowing the bandage to be manipulated without special precaution andfor the adhesive side and the sterile pad of the support to be easilyapplied, even with one hand, to the patient's skin under systematicallysterile conditions.

This aim is achieved by an adhesive bandage such as described in thepreamble and characterised in that the said second detachable tab isdesigned to be lifted from the adhesive side of the support before thefirst detachable tab, in that the said second flap extends over the saidfirst flap at least beyond the sterile pad area in the direction of thesaid first extremity of the support, and in that the said seconddetachable tab comprises a fourth flap with a beginning which tears offfrom the said third flap and which extends over the said firstdetachable tab from the said folding line at least beyond the sterilepad area in the direction of the said first extremity of the support.

The said fourth flap preferably has a length greater than that of thesaid first flap and extends beyond the said first extremity of thesupport.

The said second flap preferably has a length greater than that of thesaid first flap and extends beyond the said first extremity of thesupport.

In one advantageous embodiment, the said second flap has a lengthgreater than that of the said fourth flap and extends beyond the saidfourth flap.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

This invention and its advantages will be more apparent from thedescription of a preferred embodiment of the invention and withreference to the annexed drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a lateral sectional view of the adhesive bandage of theinvention,

FIG. 2 is a view of the underside of the adhesive bandage in FIG. 1, and

FIGS. 3a to 3 g represent the sequences for application of the adhesivebandage in FIGS. 1 and 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The adhesive bandage 10 comprises a support 11, of, for example, asubstantially rectangular shape, provided with an adhesive side 12 and asterile pad 13 positioned on this adhesive side 12, for example in itscentral zone. The bandage 10 also comprises a protective film, subjectof the invention, which is made up of two detachable tabs 14 and 15.

The first tab 14 is folded back on itself along a folding line 16substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the support 11and outside the area of the sterile pad 13. It consists of a first flap17 which is applied on the adhesive side 12 of the support 11. This flap17 extends from a first extremity of the support 11 towards its interioruntil the folding line 16, in such a way as to cover completely thesterile pad 13. The first tab 14 also has a second flap 18 consisting ofa beginning which tears off from the first flap 17. This second flap 18extends over the first flap 17, beyond the area of the sterile pad 13,from the folding line 16 in the direction of the first extremity of thesupport 11. It has a length greater than that of the first flap 17 andextends beyond this first extremity of the support 11.

The second detachable tab 15 is substantially flat and has no foldingzone. It comprises a third flap 19 which is applied on the adhesive side12 of the support 11. This flap 19 extends, outside of the area of thesterile pad 13, from a second extremity of the support 11, opposite itsfirst extremity, towards the interior of the support 11 until thefolding line 16 of the first tab 14. The second tab 15 comprises afourth flap 20 consisting of a beginning which tears off from the thirdflap 19. This fourth flap 20 extends over the first tab 14, beyond thearea of the sterile pad 13, from the folding line 16, in the directionof the first extremity of the support 11. It has a length greater thanthat of the first flap 17 and extends beyond the first extremity of thesupport 11. This fourth flap 20 of the second tab 15 is favourablyshorter than the second flap 18 of the first tab 14 so that this secondflap 18 extends beyond the fourth flap 20.

Before use, the adhesive bandage 10 is packaged under sterile conditionsin a closed, individual package or wrapping 24 (only diagrammaticallyshown in FIG. 1). This wrapping 24 forms an absolute barrier againstgerms and can also be impervious to liquids. To facilitate its opening,it can have a pre-fold or a notch, so that the user can easily open it,for example by tearing, without risk of damage to the bandage containedin it. The bandage 10 is placed in this wrapping 24 in the initialconfiguration described previously and illustrated by FIGS. 1 and 2, inwhich flaps 17, 18 of the first tab 14 and the fourth flap 20 of thesecond tab 15 are superposed, over the area of the sterile pad 13.

We shall now describe the application of the adhesive bandage 10 withreference to FIGS. 3a to 3 g which represent the different sequences ofthe application.

Firstly, the user tears the wrapping and takes in one hand, the adhesivebandage 10 contained in the wrapping. The second tab 15 covers theadhesive side 12 over the small section of the support 11, definedbetween the second extremity of the support 11 and the folding line 16,as does the first tab 14 over the large section of the support 11,defined between the folding line 16 and the first extremity of thesupport 11, which contains the sterile pad 13. The second tab 15therefore effectively protects these two sections from any contaminationby the surrounding air and by the user's fingers. Only the inferior sideor exterior side of the second tab 15 can be contaminated but this doesnot constitute any risk of subsequent contamination for the patientduring application of the adhesive bandage 10, as will be explainedbelow. The user can therefore manipulate the bandage without particularprecaution.

We now refer to FIG. 3a. Firstly, the user grips in one hand the secondextremity of the support 11 with the third flap 19 of the second tab 15,then, with the other hand, takes the second flap 18 which tears off fromthe first tab 14, what is relatively easy as this flap 18 extends beyondthe first flap 17 and beyond the fourth flap 20. Next, referring to FIG.3b, he takes with his first hand the fourth flap 20 tearing from thesecond tab 15, which extends beyond the first extremity of the support11. At this moment, the second flap 18, from the side corresponding tothe fourth flap 20, has never been in contact with the user's fingersand is therefore still sterile on the large section of the support 11,to the right of the folding line 16 and containing the sterile pad 13.The user then pulls the fourth flap 20 towards the second extremity ofthe support 11, in the direction indicated by the arrow A, to unstickthe third flap 19 from the small section of the adhesive side 12 of thesupport 11, to the left of the folding line 16, see FIG. 3c.

This section of the adhesive side 12, which is still sterile, may beapplied on the skin 21 of the patient at the appropriate place, that is,next to the affected area 22 of the epidermis which needs to be coveredat the end of the application by the sterile pad 13, as the third flap19 is being detached from the adhesive 12 and it is uncovered. Thislimits its exposure to the surrounding air.

It should be noted that the third flap 19 can be detached entirely fromthe small section of the adhesive side 12, as represented in FIG. 3c,before this is stuck to the skin 21 of the patient, which allows theapplication of the adhesive bandage 10 to be terminated with one handonly. In this case, the small uncovered section of the adhesive side 12is only lightly and for a very short time in contact with thesurrounding air and remains almost sterile. However, a minimumcontamination of the adhesive side 12 outside of the sterile pad area 13does not pose any risk of contamination to the affected area 22 adjacentto the epidermis, which will be covered at the end of the application bythe sterile pad 13.

Referring now to FIG. 3d, the small section of the adhesive side 12, tothe left of the folding line 16, is from now on stuck to the skin 21 ofthe patient. The inferior side of the second flap 18, which up till nowwas protected by the fourth flap 20 of the second tab 15, is now facingthe skin 21 of the patient and the affected area 22 of the epidermis.However, this side of the second flap 18 has never been in contact withthe user's fingers, in particular in the sterile pad 13 area, and cantherefore touch the affected area 22 of the epidermis without any riskof contamination. It should also be emphasized that the large section ofthe adhesive side 12 of the support 11, to the right of the folding line16, and the sterile pad 13 are still totally covered by the first flap17 of the first detachable tab 14 and are still perfectly sterile.

Finally, referring to FIGS. 3e to 3 g, the user pulls the second flap18, tearing from the first detachable tab 14 towards the exterior of thesupport 11, in the direction indicated by the arrow B, to unstick thefirst flap 17 of the large section of the adhesive side 12 of thesupport 11, to the right of the folding line 16. The adhesive side 12 ofthe support 11 is uncovered and sterile and, as it is being uncovered,sticks to the skin 21 of the patient. The sterile pad 13 has thereforebeen applied under perfectly sterile conditions on the affected area 22of the epidermis.

The protective film of the adhesive bandage 10 of the invention has anumber of advantages. The second detachable tab 15 of the protectivefilm effectively protects the bandage 10 when it is removed from itswrapping and allows it to be manipulated without special precaution andwithout any risk of subsequent contamination to the patient. The flaps18, 20 tearing from the detachable tabs 14, 15 allow easy application ofthe bandage 10 to the skin, even with only one hand and undersystematically sterile conditions. This is because the sides of theflaps 17 to 20, which could be in contact with the affected area 22 ofthe epidermis during application of the support 11, have never been incontact with the user's fingers. They are therefore still sterile andthere is no risk of contamination. Furthermore, the adhesive side 12 andthe sterile pad 13 of the support 11 are applied rapidly to the skin 21of the patient, as soon as they are uncovered, which also removes therisk of contamination by the surrounding air.

The adhesive bandage 10 of the present invention is particularly welladapted to applications requiring optimum sterile conditions and forwhich the slightest risk of contamination of the affected area of theepidermis can have serious, even fatal, consequences, and must beprevented. Examples of critical applications are those performed in anoperating theatre, notably for the covering of laparotomy or thoracotomywounds, burns or similar.

A particularly critical application of an adhesive bandage would be inthe area of dialysis. A patient suffering chronic renal problems has tofollow regularly, sometimes daily, a treatment of blood dialysis in ahospital environment or at home. At each session, an artery and a veinof the patient's circulatory system must be connected to a dialysismachine to purify the patient's blood. So as to facilitate thistreatment and relieve the patient, the patient has an implantedarteriovenous fistula permanently during surgical procedure. This isimplanted under the epidermis of the upper-arm and is connected at eachsession to the dialysis machine. This gives permanent vascular access tothe patient and must always be covered with a sterile adhesive bandagefor two reasons. The bandage serves, partly, to maintain the fistula'svascular access at the patient's upper-arm as, should this be lost,surgery would then be needed to recreate it. Principally, however, itserves to protect it from contamination by bacterial germs so as toavoid a latent septicaemia in the patient, who is already ill andfragile. To guarantee protection and lasting sterility, the adhesivebandage applied to the arm must be replaced regularly, at least aftereach session, and often by the patient himself. This would necessarilybe with one hand. Consequently, the adhesive bandage used mustsystematically allow for perfectly sterile application, even with onehand, without the risk of any subsequent contamination. The adhesivebandage 10 of the invention responds to all these stringent criteria ofapplication.

Of course, the adhesive bandage 10 of the invention suits other, lessserious, applications as far as sterility is concerned. The adhesivebandage can be the occlusive type, the support 11 and the sterile pad 13then being gaspermeable but impervious to liquids and to bacteria. Thesupport 11 can be transparent, made, for example, from polyurethane, sothat the surface of the covered skin 21 is visible. The adhesive side 12can equally be hypoallergenic. The adhesive bandage 10 may behydroactive, the sterile pad 13 then containing water with additionalagents allowing decomposition, for example to promote the healing of awound. The adhesive bandage 10 can have any dimensions, be small orlarge, and be any shape, rectangular, oval or circular, for example.

The adhesive bandage can be produced simply and economically onconventional machines. One detachable tab 14 is folded back on itself,while the other detachable tab 15 does not have a folding section. Asthe second tab 15 covers the support over its entire length, therelative tolerance of its position from the folding line 16 of the firsttab 14 on the adhesive side 12 can be large. It needs only be situatedoutside the area of the sterile pad 13. The folding of the detachabletab 14 is always done outside the area of the sterile pad 13, the latterconserving all its effectiveness. Moreover, the adhesive bandage 10 canbe packaged under sterile conditions in any sort of individualizedwrapping, as the second detachable tab 15 protects the bandage 10effectively when it is removed from its wrapping.

The present invention is not limited to the types of implementationalready described and illustrated but extends to any modification andvariant evident for those in the profession. For example, the support 11may be covered on its superior non-adhesive side, with a layer ofdetachable reinforcement which is removed after application of thesupport on the skin. This means, firstly, that the support does notbecome creased during application if it is too soft, but, also, thatcontact with the fingers on the superior side of the support is avoided,and so improves the sterility of the application.

To guarantee the sterility of the application of the pad 13 on theaffected area of the epidermis, the only essential is that the fourthflap 20 of the second detachable tab 15 extends over the second flap 18of the first detachable tab 14 and that the two tearing flaps 18, 20extend from the folding line 16, at least beyond the area of the sterilepad 13 in the direction of the first extremity of the support 11. Thefact that these two flaps 18, 20 are longer than the first flap 17 andextend beyond the first extremity of the support 11 allows, on one hand,easier manipulation of the bandage 10 during its application, and on theother hand, to guarantee, beyond the sterility of the application of pad13 on the affected area of the epidermis, the sterility of theapplication of the adhesive side 12 of the support 11 on the patient'sskin around the affected area 22 covered by the sterile pad 13.Moreover, the fourth flap 20 of the second detachable tab 15 may have alength greater than that of the second flap 18 of the first detachabletab 14 and extend beyond the first extremity of the support 11 and thesecond flap 18.

What is claimed is:
 1. An adhesive bandage for application to an acutelyaffected area of epidermis which is sensitive to contamination bybacterial germs and must remain sterile, the adhesive bandagecomprising: a support having an adhesive side with a sterile padsituated on the adhesive side of the support, a protective film coveringand the sterile pad and the adhesive side, the protective film havingfirst and second detachable tabs, the first detachable tab comprising afirst flap and a second flap separated from one another by a foldingline, the first flap being applied to the adhesive side of the supportand extending from a first extremity of the support toward a secondextremity of the support so as to cover a portion of the adhesive sideadjacent the first extremity and entirely cover the sterile pad with thefolding line of the first detachable tab being located adjacent thesterile pad, and the second flap extends from the fold line, in adirection back toward the first extremity of the support, so as to foldback over the first flap; and the second detachable tab comprising athird flap applied to the adhesive side of the support at least adjacentthe second extremity, and a remote end of the second detachable tabextending toward the first extremity; wherein the second flap (18)extends, in the direction of the first extremity of the support (11),over the first flap (17) at least beyond an area of the sterile pad (13)so as to cover completely the sterile pad (13), the second detachabletab (15) comprises a fourth flap (20), formed integral with the thirdflap (19), which extends, commencing at the folding line (16), in thedirection of the first extremity of the support (11) over the firstdetachable tab (14) at least beyond the sterile pad (13) so as to covercompletely the sterile pad (13), and the second detachable tab (15) isarranged to be removed from the adhesive side (12) of the support (11)before the first detachable tab (14).
 2. The adhesive bandage accordingto claim 1, wherein the fourth flap (20) has a length greater than alength of the first flap (17) and extends beyond the first extremity ofthe support (11).
 3. The adhesive bandage according to claim 2, whereinthe second flap (18) has a length greater than a length of the fourthflap (20) and extends beyond the fourth flap (20).
 4. The adhesivebandage according to claim 1, wherein the second flap (18) has a lengthgreater than a length of the first flap (17) and extends beyond thefirst extremity of the support (11).
 5. The adhesive bandage accordingto claim 1, wherein the fourth flap (20) has a length greater than alength of the first flap (17) and extends beyond the first extremity ofthe support (11); and the second flap (18) has a length greater than alength of the first flap (17) and greater than a length of the fourthflap (20), and the second flap (18) extends beyond the first extremityof the support (11) and beyond the fourth flap (20).
 6. The adhesivebandage according to claim 1, wherein the acutely affected area of theepidermis is a site for implementation of an arteriovenous fistula whichprovides vascular access to a patient on hemodialysis.
 7. The adhesivebandage according to claim 1, wherein the sterile pad is located in acentral zone of the support.
 8. The adhesive bandage according to claim1, wherein the adhesive bandage is packaged within in a sterilewrapping.
 9. An adhesive bandage for application to an epidermis areawhich is sensitive to contamination by bacterial germs, the adhesivebandage comprising: a support having an adhesive side with a sterile padsituated on the adhesive side of the support, a protective film coveringand the sterile pad and the adhesive side, the protective film havingfirst and second detachable tabs, the first detachable tab comprising afirst flap and a second flap separated from one another by a foldingline, the first flap being applied to the adhesive side of the supportand extending from a first extremity of the support toward a secondextremity of the support so as to cover at least the adhesive sideadjacent the first extremity and entirely cover the sterile pad with thefolding line of the first detachable tab being between the sterile padand the second extremity, and the second flap extends from the foldline, in a direction toward the first extremity of the support, so as tofold back over the first flap; and the second detachable tab comprisinga third flap covering at least the adhesive side adjacent the secondextremity, and a remote end of the second detachable tab extendingtoward the first extremity; wherein the second flap (18) extends, in thedirection of the first extremity of the support (11), over the firstflap (17) at least beyond the area of the sterile pad (13) so as tocover completely the sterile pad (13), the second detachable tab (15)comprises a fourth flap (20), formed integral with the third flap (19),which extends, commencing at the folding line (16), in the direction ofthe first extremity of the support (11) over the first detachable tab(14) at least beyond the sterile pad (13) so as to cover completely thesterile pad (13), and the second detachable tab (15) is arranged to beremoved from the adhesive side (12) of the support (11) before the firstdetachable tab (14); the fourth flap (20) has a length greater than alength of the first flap (17) and extends beyond the first extremity ofthe support (11); and the second flap (18) has a length greater than alength of the first flap (17) and greater than a length of the fourthflap (20), and the second flap (18) extends beyond the first extremityof the support (11) and beyond the fourth flap (20).
 10. The adhesivebandage according to claim 9, wherein the acutely affected area of theepidermis is a site for implementation of an arteriovenous fistula whichprovides vascular access to a patient on hemodialysis.
 11. The adhesivebandage according to claim 9, wherein the sterile pad is located in acentral zone of the support.
 12. The adhesive bandage according to claim9, wherein the adhesive bandage is packaged within in a sterilewrapping.